Reflect

In Hope in the Dark, Rebecca Solnit recalls the way that in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, hundreds of individual boat owners saved countless people stranded in the flooding waters. She writes, “None of them said, ‘I can’t rescue everyone, therefore it’s futile; therefore my efforts are flawed and worthless.’” As is true with many of the world’s current crises, the situation was far from perfect, as were the rescue efforts. But for the people whose lives were saved? It was everything. In the face of national or global problems, it’s understandable that we find ourselves saying “I don’t know what to do.” One step toward action is to embrace the idea of the imperfect but meaningful contribution. Accept that your action won’t save everyone but that it may, for someone, save everything.